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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24396835">Coffee and friends are the perfect blend</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/furcoatedmadonna/pseuds/furcoatedmadonna'>furcoatedmadonna</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Lore Olympus (Webcomic)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops &amp; Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff, Slow Burn, anxious hades, biker persephone, confident persephone, duality of Persephone, hades loves his dogs, masters student persephone, puns</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 03:41:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,893</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24396835</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/furcoatedmadonna/pseuds/furcoatedmadonna</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Being a CEO in the biggest Cooperation in Olympus doesn't mean you can't have quality time with your pets, especially if you have a cup of your favorite blend on the go.<br/>It does help that the woman in the register is also the loveliest person you've ever met.</p><p>This is a story about Persephone and Hades' struggle in being functioning adults in general and also falling in love.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Artemis/Persephone (Lore Olympus), Eros &amp; Persephone (Lore Olympus), Hades &amp; Hecate (Lore Olympus), Hades/Minthe (Lore Olympus), Hades/Persephone (Lore Olympus)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Coffee and friends are the perfect blend</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It is universally acknowledged that Aidoneus Hades would always prioritize his dogs in life. It was a hard commitment, with his job at the Underworld Corp., his days went long and tedious. Sometimes nightshifts took even longer. Hera had chastised him before, stating his position as the head of an international trade business would not let him spend enough time required for a healthy companion.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p> </p>
<p> “Dogs are not possessions Hades, you know that. Spend the whole damn world, it wouldn’t be enough if you couldn’t care for them.”</p>
<p> “I know that Bunny, I’d like to think I’m responsible enough to look after a couple of lives.”</p>
<p> “A couple!? Hades…” Hera chastised him with a concerned look on her face.</p>
<p> “It was a figure of speech! I don’t literally mean to adopt a dog army. It’s just that this black hound really needs help Bunny please understand. He was barely living when they got him to the vet. But-”</p>
<p>“But you paid for his vet bills and its very generous of you. That doesn’t mean you have to adopt him in your house as well. He might have both physical and mental traumas which would cause him to be a very difficult pet to own. Why put yourself through that?”</p>
<p>Hades stared at Hera head-on with a desperate glint in his eyes.</p>
<p>“He has this fire within him Hera. After all that trauma, he’s still so strongly fighting for his life. He’s a special dog. I- I want to be there for him and be the person that gives him a home.” Hades said, his voice wavering.</p>
<p>“Ok, Hades it’s your choice. I just don’t want you to make a rash decision. After all, emotional companionship requires healthy communication. It takes time and it takes work, even more so with a creature that relies on you.” Hera continued with a smirk on her face. “They’re much like tiny vampires that suck on your life force that pay it back with love and a lot of poop.”</p>
<p>“Speaking of poopy vampires how’s Hebe? Still in the diaper?”</p>
<p>“You have no idea.” Hades and Hera shared a laugh, the serious mood dissolving in a fit of giggles. Hera dipped her head and finished her appletini straight.</p>
<p>“You still serve me shitty Martini.”</p>
<p>“I give you the best brand Vodka and apple liquor mix, maybe you’re just not used to the quality.”</p>
<p>“It’s definitely not that Hades.” Hera rolled her eyes. “It’s just too sweet for me, I mean I appreciate you making it for me but I couldn’t drink it regularly. It’s just not my taste.”</p>
<p>“Oh. I understand.” With that the smile on Hades’ face fell and he leaned away from Hera. Removing his arm left a chill over her.</p>
<p>“Not like that you idiot! Hera slapped his arm lightly. It was always better to stop his self-degrading thoughts before they spiraled out of the portion.</p>
<p>“Ok, I get it. If you don’t like my bartending skills that much you can always make it yourself.” Hades tried to lighten the mood but it was clear that he still had traces of self-doubt. His hand automatically reached for his cigarette pack. Hera frowned but didn’t stop him. She stood up instead and took her glass.</p>
<p>“My bar is yours.” Hades lit his cigarette.</p>
<p>“It’s not that!” Hera said and left her glass by the sink. “I’m making us coffee, we’re both sobering up, I want to be home before Hebe sleeps anyway.”</p>
<p>Something warm settled within Hades’ chest. It was a mellow warmth that the brunt of a cigarette could never compare and was much sweeter to the tongue. Hera was a difficult person but she also took great care to the people a few people that were close to her. Hera was blunt, but also truthful. She was a wall but also an embrace, she was a person you could rely on. It was just harder for the person to be relied on by her. Hades thought they balanced each other nicely. His further thoughts were cut by the click of the porcelain mug on the table.</p>
<p>“Thank you Bunny.”</p>
<p>“Bon Appetite, my blue friend.” They drank their mugs in relative silence and soon Hera got ready to leave.</p>
<p>“Oh, wait for just a second!” Hades rushed through his coatroom to retrieve a neatly wrapped package. “I bought a chew toy for Hebe, you said she cried a lot because of teething.”</p>
<p>“Hades, out of everything I can’t believe you brought my baby daughter a chew toy.”</p>
<p>Hades panicked. Hera laughed.</p>
<p>“Thank you.” With a smile, Hera kissed his cheek and went to the entrance.</p>
<p>“Oh also, don’t expect me to look after your stray if you can’t handle it. It's your responsibility now.” Hera gave him a side-eye.</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about that Bunny. And have a safe trip.” Hades opened the door.</p>
<p>“See you, Hades.” And that afternoon concluded with Hades searching for dog names on the web.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It’s been 5 years since that day and Hades still took perfect care of Cerberus. He may have had adopted 6 more dogs in the meantime (much to Hera’s and his psychologist’s astonishment), but Cerb always had a special spot in his heart. That’s why the birthday boy was accompanying him in his stroll today.<br/>It was a fresh but warm spring day and Underworld Corp. had recently signed a deal for their new Pomegranate X phone series. He handled his workload delicately just for this day so he could spend extra bonding time with Cerberus. Also he just recently bought Minthe a new designer bag that she had been not so subtly wanting for a while and she had been sweet on him. Everything was perfect.</p>
<p>Hades decided that the birthday boy would take the lead. Cerberus, feeling this change of leadership seemed to drag him everywhere possible in town. They had gone to the park farther away from their regular, which had ramp-like structures. He played on them, played with dogs, rolled in the grass, splashed in mud… got hosed in the park and finally calmed enough to be coerced to leave the park after hours of playtime.</p>
<p>Now they were wandering in a district that Hades was not used to but it had its unique charm. Every piece of street furniture seemed to be complimenting each other with curvilinear designs. The road was broad; the buildings were 4 floors the most. It felt like even the sun preferred to shine on the street. With the thought of the sun, Hades felt parched. He had been out and about without any breaks after all. He looked around while walking and soon found himself before a café called ‘Philia’.</p>
<p>It was an ornamented but tasteful café that had two tiny coffee tables on the front which seemed to take inspiration in design by the street and by the looks from the shop window, inside was cozy but quaint as well. Intrigued, Hades went into the shop. He thought about at least getting bottled water and giving an admiring glance to the rest of the shop when out of nowhere his whole world shifted.<br/>Behind the register stood the most alluring, wondrous, pinkest woman he has ever seen. She had short pink hair that was a little unruly and a cute little nose accompanied by most doe-like eyes gazing at him across the…</p>
<p>Hades felt a clench and exhaled the breath he was holding with a fit of a cough, blushing his hardest, he could do nothing but feel like a fool. It was even worse than the second-hand embarrassment he would get from his brothers’ idiotic tendencies in weekly brunches. While Hades tried and failed to get himself out of his embarrassment and act like a decent human being, the pink woman called to him.</p>
<p>“Sir, are you alright? Would you like some water? Here, please have this!”</p>
<p>Hades didn’t know when she got so close, but there was a glass of water extended to him by a tiny, pink hand. Hades coughed a couple more times and finally, finally had the decency to formulate a throaty “Thank you.” He then took the glass from her hand, trying not to notice how colossal his hand stood next to hers and took cautious sips.<br/>The cool water helped him to calm a little and decided that he couldn’t get any more embarrassing anyways.</p>
<p>“Thank you again, ehem, and sorry I think... I was a bit dehydrated. Good thing you were here, ehem, anyways good thing with this occasion is I was <em>3rdsty</em> anyways.” At that moment Hades wished that the ground could swallow him up. The joke wasn’t even structured well!</p>
<p>The woman before him looked at him with bewilderment for a second, her doe eyes widened as she really took him in. And then-</p>
<p>“Pffft.” There was the cutest little snort he had ever heard in his life.</p>
<p>“That was so bad that it’s funny, but you really could do better than that.” A smirk found its place on her face and Hades felt like butterflies were stuck in his throat.</p>
<p>“<em>Well</em>, then.” He smirks. “I should try better next time.”</p>
<p>“Oh, <em>water</em> you gonna do? There’s only so much dehydration pun you can come up with.”</p>
<p>“Maybe I should broaden my horizon. Can’t get stuck on the <em>same shore</em> every day.” Hades’ heart was beating so fast and he had the dorkiest grin on his face. The woman, “Kore” according to her nametag now that he noticed it, was about to say something while it was cut off by another customer. She looked at him apologetically and said he should ask if he needed anything else and went back to the register.</p>
<p>He was really not used to this much emotional charge in a day, to seem busy he looked around the café. They seemed to have a set of decent coffee blend and the place seemed to have a small garden attached to the back. Done with the customer, Kore took notice of his stare and said-</p>
<p>“Our café is pet friendly! You can take them to the back garden if you wish to sit there.”<br/>It was tempting, to have a reason to stay there longer maybe even get a chance to talk to her more but he couldn’t form the words. Doubt came and sat on his chest like a weight only Atlas could have held and answered-</p>
<p>“I really need to be on my way, maybe next time?” He couldn’t hide the small hope from his voice. “Can I get a cup of coffee-to-go for now?”</p>
<p>“Oh, of course! May I suggest our Ethiopian blend, it may be a bit floral but I don’t usually drink coffee and it’s the one even I can confidently suggest.” She gave a smile to him that was like spring incarnation.</p>
<p>“Sounds good to me, one Ethiopian brew please.”</p>
<p>After that the short time before Hades and Cerberus’ departure felt like a blur. Everything felt surreal and he didn’t know how to process all of this. Maybe he was exaggerating it for nothing like he tends to do. He looked at Cerberus which seemed very smug for whatever reason.</p>
<p>“Somehow, this is your fault.” Hades said to the birthday boy and took a sip from the carton mug.</p>
<p>It was a damn good coffee.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! This is my first fanfic ever so if you have any suggestions or just wanted to say hello, please don't be shy and give me a comment.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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